Black bear season here in Alaska, or anywhere for that matter, brings its share of challenges. Stories of bears found with.38 bullets under the skin do not make the grade. “I have killed enough bears to know how important shot placement can be, even with large-bore rifles. Making a clean kill should be the top priority for hunters who decide to shoot a bear. The bear immediately ran straight away and at 90 yards turned sideways whereupon I shot it again very low in the chest. Show Links. Shot Placement on Alaska Game. January 04, 2011 By Layne Simpson. By Layne Simpson. They are tougher than nails, and don't leave much of a blood trail, so putting a quick killing arrow right … Brian Strickland bear hunted for five days in Manitoba with Baldy Mountain Outfitters when he killed a Boone-and-Crockett-class bear with traditional archery equipment. Also, bears have heavier bones and hides than other big game animals. Here are 7 ways to help make sure it truly counts. Notice how the lungs extend from the belly to the backbone, which is about halfway to two-thirds up the body in the neck region to three-quarters up the body farther back. Installing this XS Sight Systems rail and a SIG Romeo4 red dot optic makes aiming the shotgun for accurate shot placement with slugs fast with proper training and practice. Dangerous game also requires shot placement that anchors the animal. The biggest challenge with bear shot placement is that their vitals and front shoulder structure is significantly different than that of the deer family. So, Where Do You Aim? We discuss why bears are tricky on shot placement and give five shot placement tips. In many cases, a bow shot in the leg, shoulder, or one lung won't even kill the bear. Bears are significantly different in structure than that of other animals. Recoil-induced flinch is a common cause of misplaced shots in field conditions, so it's imperative that you choose a rifle from the list that you can … With plenty of practice, and a solid knowledge of your prey's anatomy, you'll be one step closer to a successful hunt! But bears have thick, strong skulls shotgun slugs or even rifle bullets may not penetrate. For the shoulder/heart shot, which is popular for anchoring bears in their tracks, follow the centreline of the front leg up to the one-third point of the body. First, one must remember that a bear’s heart/lung area is set a bit lower in the chest than that of a deer, meaning you need to aim a bit lower. Don’t aim low. That’s the first step to proper shot placement. When bowhunting bears, shot placement is super critical. Copyright © 2021 Outdoor Life. Wounded bears are also known for leaving poor blood trails, especially if the arrow didn’t pass through. Honestly, I don’t think it has to do as much with a bear’s vital anatomy being different. I was aiming for a vital area with each shot ; because it all took place between 6 … I was using a very hot 45-70 500 gr. An animal that is harvested humanely shows more character in a hunter than just a lucky shot. However, especially if you are bowhunting, you will get a clearer shot at this vital spot if you wait for the bear to move its nearest foreleg forward. Bears have a lot of fat on their belly and long hair, unlike a deer, with little fat … Long hair and extra fat can make for a deceptive body size. Email Us, Board of Fisheries and Game: Actions & Activities, Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS), About the Division of Commercial Fisheries, Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP), Online General Season & Registration Permits, Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Permits, CSIS – Community Subsistence Information System, The Technical Papers and Special Publications Series. When … Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The diagram below shows the proper shot placement to hit the bear’s heart/lung area. The best shot placement is when the animal is broadside to the hunter or slightly facing away. 3. Notice how the majority of the heart is directly above the leg – not behind it. Do not shoot too low. The ideal bear defense gun needs to be 100% reliable, shoot accurately out to at least 50 yards (protection from bears does not involve long range shooting) and be capable of a fast repeat shot with loads that have adequate stopping power. The reasons for poor shot placement on a bear can be numerous. And for bear defense, a slug is a much better choice than bird or buckshot. The objective of every conscientious hunter is to kill an animal as quickly as possible to avoid its suffering and to insure the highest quality meat. They are tougher than nails, and don't leave much of a blood trail, so putting a quick killing arrow right through the boiler room will help ensure a speedy recovery. And that’s the thing; shot placement is everything on bears. The best bet to immediately stop an attacking bear is to turn off its central nervous system, which requires a brain shot or a shot which severs the spinal cord. You’ll maximize the opportunity for two holes by shooting at a broadside bear with a sharp fixed-blade broadhead. Taking out both lungs is even more important when hunting black bears though. First Shot Placement Last year I shot a bear at 30 yards. More than one Alaskan guide of my acquaintance suggests aiming for the snout–a high shot goes into the upper skull or even over the top, into the neck or spine; and if the bear hops or you shoot low, you have a chance at the throat, chest, or even a shoulder or leg, all of which can stop the animal, if only long enough for you to aim and shoot again. At the shot the bear ran directly at us and came so close I thought my friend would shoot him, but the bear veered away at the last second.” To boil down my shot placement philosophy, aim 8 inches up from belly line and 6 inches behind the shoulder on a broadside bruin. Incorrect shot placement on a black bear can lead to unnecessary suffering, wounding, and failure to retrieve the animal. First you have to know where to aim, then make sure you skills are fine-tuned enough to make the shot under pressure. (Bears, by the way, seem attracted to petroleum products.) A heart-lung shot from either position will likely puncture both lungs with the following advantages: When an animal is hit in the heart/lung area, a quick death is certain because an animal cannot function with a loss of both lungs and heart. Black bear season here in Alaska, or anywhere for that matter, brings its share of challenges. People get nervous and rushed around bears. I think the main three reasons for poor shot placement are: 1. A Bonnier Corporation Company. When bowhunting bears, shot placement is super critical. Bears are tough and can run a long way on one lung. Bears, known for not bleeding well, are good to try to anchor which will shorten the tracking job. Hint: Shot placement on a black bear is not the same as on a whitetail most of us grew up hunting. How to Call More Coyotes into Shotgun Range, The Ultimate DIY Guide to Making Wild Game Jerky and Snack Sticks, After Being Barred from the Family Deer Camp, Beginner’s Luck with a 215-Inch Iowa Buck, Are Today’s New Hunting Shotguns Really Worth the Price? Knowing where the bears organs is an important part of bear hunting. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Bear Bullet Placement. The shot entered just behind the shoulder on the left side and exited through the right shoulder. If you are a bowhunter, take practice shots at your site to build your confidence from an elevated position. BIG BEAR, GREAT SHOT with Traditional Archery . Good choice. “Because I had my friend as a backup, I decided to fire a warning shot to make the bear leave. Shot placement is especially important for black bear hunters due to the potentially large size of bears (up to 600 pounds) and the fact that bears may attack a hunter if wounded. Incorrect shot placement on a black bear can lead to unnecessary suffering, wounding, and failure to retrieve the animal. Here Are 4 Used (and Cheaper) Models to Consider, 7 Tips for Catching Big Cold-Weather Bass, Field Test: The New Straight-Pull Savage Impulse Rifle, Winter Fly Fishing: How to Catch Trout on Streamers this Holiday Season, When Lessons Learned in the Wild Find Their Way into Regular Life, I Survived COVID-19, But it Killed My Hunting Season, The 10 Best Stories of 2020, as Chosen by Our Loud-Mouthed Hunting Buddy, It’s Time to Redefine What it Means to ‘Do Our Part’ as Hunters. In a broadside situation, aim square in the center of the shoulder if you want to anchor the animal — imagine you’re hitting it in the center of the scapula. I don’t trust mechanicals for bears. Bear Vitals: The ideal double lung vital shot to take is when a bear is broadside with his closest foreleg moved forward so you can follow the back of that leg up and aim between ⅓ and ⅔ of the chest cavity, slightly behind the line of the leg. Marksmanship: The decision to squeeze the trigger comes with the first step in ensuring accurate … All rights reserved. With an increasing number of successful defenses against bears, using pistols, there should eventually be a … SO, you’ve opted for a lung shot. Don't let a poorly placed shot be one of them. 2. SHOT PLACEMENT of a Black Bear Shot placement on a black bear is extremely important in order to get a quick kill. The ideal shot for big game animals is an arrow that passes through both lungs. WUNDED and lost big game animals are part of … An animal that must be shot several times will have muscles flooded with lactic . Whether you're new to bear hunting or a seasoned vet this is a good podcast to listen to you're likely to enjoy. At self-defense distances, the shot pattern is very small, not a wide cloud of shot. This is mainly due to the black bears having heavier bones and hides compared to other big game animals. Shot Placement The ultimate big-game rifle and cartridge configuration does nothing for you if you can't shoot it well. Location: Full Articles: Big Game Hunting Tactics and Strategies: Bear Hunting: Bear Anatomy and Shot Placement Guide. Don't let a poorly placed shot be one of them. The shoulder and leg bones are tougher, and configured differently than ungulates (as shown in the video). Outdoor Life may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Another factor is black bears have long thick fur … A bear won’t jump the string like a whitetail. Savage Renegauge; Share on Facebook Tweet Share on LinkedIn Email. Left: When presented with a quartering away shot, aim to place the bullet in line with the offside shoulder in order to penetrate both lungs and, with luck, break that shoulder and put the bear down right there. Brian is a veteran bowhunter and outdoor writer. Since the spinal cord is so small, it makes sense to aim at the brain. The best shot with a bow and arrow is when the bear is quartering away with it's front shoulder moving forwards so you can sneak an arrow into the kill zone with out any bone obstruction. (Please refer to the organ legend) Sometimes you only get one chance to bring down a big-game animal. Be careful not to shoot low or forward, or you'll quickly have a wounded animal on your hands. hard cast. I was well aware of the limitations of my 9mm pistol, even with Buffalo Bore ammo. 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